Tasman count broken bodies

A gloomy Leon MacDonald surveyed his Tasman players in the wake of their 35-13 loss to Canterbury and saw more than disappointment etched on their faces.

For Tasman forwards, Jordan Taufua, Tyrel Lomax and Tom Hill, the defeat in the Mitre 10 Cup premiership final at AMI Stadium in Christchurch last night night also proved to be a painful experience.

No 8 Taufua had to be replaced in the 41st minute after suffering what could be a broken arm, and tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax left the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

Replacement prop Hill was also knocked out, and there was no requirement to complete a head injury assessment because it was clear that he was unfit to return for duty.

Tasman coach MacDonald said it was too early to offer a detailed assessment of the injuries. The early mail on Taufua, though, was not encouraging.

‘‘There are a few concussions and Jordie’s arm doesn’t look too flash. It might be a broken arm,’’ MacDonald said.

‘‘There are a few in the casualty ward. It was a torrid encounter. The breakdowns were well contested and there was a lot of vigour in the tackles as well, so it was probably not surprising.’’

If Taufua has broken his arm, it isn’t great news for the Crusaders and their coach Scott Robertson because, depending on the extent of the damage, that is likely to impact on his pre-season preparations for next year’s Super Rugby title defence.

Despite injuring his arm in the first half, Taufua refused to buckle and kept playing for as long as possible before being ordered to exit the action.

‘‘He would live and die out there for the team, the province,’’ Tasman captain Alex Ainley said in reference to Taufua.

‘‘And he had to be dragged off the field. That was what happened in the end, when the doctor pulled him off the park. I don’t think it was his say.’’

Dominating collisions and the breakdowns gave Canterbury a big edge in the physical contests and Tasman didn’t help themselves by losing three lineouts.